The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will join its partners in the Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership at the 2017 Monarch and Pollinator Summit on Thursday at Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock.
Populations of the monarch butterfly have declined significantly the past several years. The species is currently under consideration for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Other pollinator populations are also experiencing declines, causing concern for the health of the ecosystems and food production.
The issue prompted the first Arkansas Monarch Summit, held in November 2015. This two-day meeting brought together a diverse group of conservation practitioners, educators, university staff, gardeners and private citizens to learn about monarchs and pollinators and discuss needs for conserving these important species.
“A lot of the restoration work that benefits the monarch will ultimately benefit other pollinator species,” said Allison Fowler, wildlife diversity program coordinator for Game and Fish. “Pollinators are essential to the health of ecosystems and for sustaining habitat for other wildlife. They also are a key component in the production of many agricultural crops.”
The 2015 summit laid the groundwork for what is now the Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership, a state-level collaboration of state and federal agencies, municipalities, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and private individuals.